Buko Salad

Buko Salad is an easy, creamy classic recipe with a number of variations. This coconut fruit salad recipe ( paggawa ng fruit salad ) gives you a perfect ingredient mix, tips for extra flavor, and more!

Buko Salad Recipe History  ( Buko Fruit Salad Recipe )

Is buko salad a dessert ? Definitely! Buko salad has been a beloved staple in the Philippines since the mid-20th century but only became more widely available from the 1950’s to 1960’s. Embracing the abundance of fresh young coconuts, fresh fruits, sweetened Filipino jellies, combining this with a light sweet cream creating a festive treat enjoyed all year round-especially Christmas time. One of the country’s most iconic desserts. Its versatility gives way to a number of variations, leading many home cooks and recipes online to make fruit salad with buko in countless creative ways. 

Today, this classic treat has evolved into modern favorites like buko salad drink, buko salad ice cream, and even buko salad ice candy. Showing how creative many Filipino culinary delights can be.

Why try this Filipino Buko Salad Recipe ?

Paano magluto ng salad without complicated steps? This Buko Salad recipe is a must try! Simple, referencing, and is a sure crowd pleaser at any party. It’s easy to prepare at home and can fit anyone’s budget. With its creamy sweetness and delicious quick mix of buko salad ingredients and procedure, you’re left with a chilled dessert perfect for holidays, big or small gatherings, or to satisfy your everyday sweet cravings. A beginner-friendly recipe that delivers classic Filipino flavors in each bite.

Creamy Buko Salad ingredients

• Fruit cocktail – choose your favorite brand of fruit cocktail, or if you’d like you can also use pre-chopped fruits from the grocery / market.
• Nata and Kaong – gives the dish a fun chewy texture.
• Buko strips –  or young coconut, gives the dish a nice tender texture, flavor, and natural sweetness.
• Corn kernels and Raisins – for color and texture.
• Cheese – for a nice slightly salty bite to contrast with the sweet fruits.
• All purpose cream – our cream base, chilling this before whisking helps give it a lighter texture.
• Condensed milk – for sweetness, you can add or omit this if you already find the salad sweet.

How to make Buko Fruit Salad

( How to cook Buko Salad )

Ingredients :

• 1 can fruit cocktail ( 836 grams )
• 1 jar of red nata
• 1 jar or green kaong
• 2 cups buko strips ( young coconut )
• ½ cup sweet corn kernels
• ½ cup cheese (diced)
• ⅓ cup raisins
• 2 cups all purpose cream ( chilled )
• 1 can condensed milk ( adjust as needed )

Steps :

1. Drain all the syrups and juices from all of the ingredients. 

2. In another bowl add all the strained ingredients together, plus corn kernels, cheese, raisins, and young coconut, Mix well.

3. In another bowl mix together all purpose cream and condensed milk. Whisk until well combined. Pour this into the mixed bowl. Chill for at least 6 hours before serving.

4. Serve and Enjoy! 

Questions :

• Buko Salad Calories

There are approximately 100 to 450 calories per 1 cup or 220 grams of salad.

• Buko Salad recipe for 1 kilo

This Buko salad is already enough for 1 kilo, but if you want to make sure that you have enough for the party you can double this recipe. Just make sure to keep these refrigerated.

• How to make a Buko Salad
  • A classic buko salad ingredients ( simple buko salad ingredients ) list is often a mix of the ingredients above but depending on the household sometimes there are additional fruits or ingredients like removing the cheese, adding pineapple tidbits, cherries or more-check out the samples below.
  • Another classic version is the “White Buko Salad Recipe“. Only using ‘white colored’ ingredients like coconut strips, non-colored nata de coco, coconut sport/macapuno strings, all purpose cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sometimes with the addition of cream cheese and white cheese chunks.
  • For a vibrant warm, earthy vanilla flavored version which everyone loves try this “Buko Pandan Salad Recipe“. To make this all the buko pandan salad ingredients you need are coconut strips, pandan flavored jelly / gulaman, sago pearls, nata de coco in clear or green, all purpose cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk, if you really want a strong pandan flavor and coloring add in 1 –  2 teaspoons of pandan essence.
  • This fruit cocktail salad with condensed milk also goes well with other canned fruits like lychee- Filipino Fruit Salad with Lychee. Buko Lychee Salad has a sweetly aromatic and slightly floral flavor. 

• Can you add fresh fruit salad ingredients into this recipe?
  • Yes you can. This Filipino Tropical Fruit Salad Recipe can also be a mix of fresh fruit salad recipe with cheese. The best choice of fruits are Apples to add crunch, seedless grapes, fresh pineapple chunks, ripe mangoes, strawberries, and sometimes even bananas.
  • Another option to make this fruit salad creamier is by making “Buko Salad with Cream Cheese” ( or “ Buko Salad with Cheese ” recipe ). To make Filipino fruit salad with cream cheese, all you need to do is whisk 1 block of softened cream cheese with the all purpose cream and condensed milk.
  • For a filling version try this “Macaroni Fruit Salad Filipino Recipe“. This Macaroni fruit salad filipino style is simple, reduce the amount of condesed milk to ⅓ or ½ condensed milk, add in fresh fruits like pineapple tidbits or apples, add 1 cup of mayonnaise, and al dente macaroni.

• Can you freeze buko salad? 

Yes you can. It’s great to enjoy during a hot summer’s day or even to turn into a simple ice cream popsicle. Store this in an airtight container. These can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month. If there are molds, green spots or a sour smell-this should be thrown out. If you want to enjoy this back in ‘cream’ form, thaw in the refrigerator ( not in room temperature ) overnight. Mix well to recombine the cream.

Try our other Yummy Filipino easy dessert recipes :

How to make Buko Salad with Fruit Cocktail ( Tagalog )

( Paano gumawa ng Buko Salad )

Ingredients ng Buko Salad :

• 1 lata ng fruit cocktail ( 836 gramo )
• 1bote ng red nata
• 1 bote ng green kaong
• 2 tasa ng buko strips
• ½ tasa ng minatamis na mais
• ½ tasa keso ( hiniwa ng maliliit )
• ⅓ tasa pasas
• 2 tasa all purpose cream ( pinalamig )
• 1 lata condensed milk ( i-adjust kung kinakailangan )

Paano Lutuin :

1. Salain ang lahat ng mga nakalata na may syrup o katas. 
2. Sa ibang mangkok, haluin ang lahat ng sinalang na sangkap, mais, keso, pasas, at buko.
3. Sa ibang mangkok, haluin ang all purpose cream at condensed milk. Ibuhos sa mga hinalong sangkap. Haluin at palamigin sa ref ng 6 oras o higit pa bago ihanda.
4. Iserve at ienjoy!